Shattered Psyche
by Lamia of the Dark
Summary: AA case 4. Edgeworth does not fall into the Gourd lake trap, and instead finds himself prosecuting another Christmas Eve murder. The defendant is Manfred von Karma and the victim is Franziska. And the real murderer is the last person anyone expected.


DISCLAIMER: Phoenix Wright belongs to Capcom and is being used here without permission.

-- Shattered Psyche --

**6:37 a.m., December 23, Manfred von Karma's office**

Edgeworth stands in the doorway.

"Franziska's coming for Christmas," he says in a bored tone. "And to gloat over her latest victories in person, no doubt."

**9:45 p.m., Christmas Eve, von Karma house, guest room**

She is sitting at the desk, reading, oblivious to the presence of another person in the room.

"Merry Christmas, Franziska."

She looks up.

_BANG._

The chair falls over backward, leaving her body lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. There is blood everywhere.

**10:30 p.m., Christmas Eve, von Karma house**

Manfred discovers Franziska's body, calls the police, and is promptly arrested for her murder.

**10:45 p.m., unknown location, Christmas party**

Edgeworth's cell phone rings at almost the exact same instant as Phoenix Wright's. Both calls are about the same case. Both men agree to take it on.

**11:50 p.m., Christmas Eve, Gourd Lake**

A murder is taking place. It is of little consequence. The victim is Robert Hammond. The only suspect is Yanni Yogi, who (despite Winston Payne's incompetence as a prosecutor) _will_ be convicted at his trial.

**10:00 a.m., Christmas, Manfred's Trial**

The judge seems duly surprised that Edgeworth is prosecuting his own mentor's trial. Somehow, Phoenix is not surprised.

He knows this isn't going to be easy. There weren't any witnesses at the scene so after the evidence is introduced, the only person Edgeworth will be able to call to the stand is Manfred himself. Phoenix already knows that Manfred's alibi won't hold up in court, because he has no proof of where he was between the time he left the Prosecutor's Office that night and the time he called the police.

Phoenix is relying on a risky strategy.

The crime photo and murder weapon are presented. Phoenix picks apart the detective's testimony about the crime scene only to find that the murder weapon did indeed belong to his client and, while no motive can be established from the evidence found, it is quickly established that Manfred had both the means and opportunity to commit the murder. Not to mention the fact that the crime was carried out in his own home.

Manfred is glaring at Phoenix as the detective leaves the stand. Phoenix glances nervously at his client. Yes, Edgeworth has him on the fence here. But Phoenix has an ace in the hole. Of course, it all depends on Maya…

"As there were no witnesses to the crime, the prosecution now calls the accused, Manfred von Karma, to the stand."

Now's the time to raise an objection. Phoenix slams his hands on his desk, then points his finger (in that special way he has of doing just that) and shouts "OBJECTION!"

Everyone in the courtroom turns to look at him.

"The defense requests to hear the testimony of the victim herself!"

"The victim…?" The judge asks faintly. He is clearly confused. "Mr. Wright this is a _murder _trial."

"I know that," Phoenix replies, with a cocky grin. "But I just so happen to have a spirit medium with me…"

"This is highly irregular," the judge says. "But if the prosecution has no objection to this…"

Phoenix hasn't learned much about the DL-6 incident at this point in time and doesn't know about Edgeworth's feelings on spirit mediums. (Namely, that he thinks they're all phony.) Even so, he's not that surprised when he hears Edgeworth say, "I have no objection, but the prosecution refuses to acknowledge the witness unless the defense can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it is indeed Franziska von Karma."

"Is that so, Miles Edgeworth?"

The voice comes from the witness stand. No one noticed Maya slipping out from behind the defense bench while they were deciding whether or not to allow Franziska's spirit as a witness.

Edgeworth stares in shock. The body may be Maya Fey's, but _that voice_ is definitely Franziska's. And if he has any doubts about her identity, they vanish as he watches her hand close into a fist as if she is reaching for something that isn't there. Her whip, of course, but there's no way Maya would have known that. It is obvious from the expression on Manfred's face that he had no clue Phoenix was planning to do something like this, either.

"Th-the prosecution is satisfied that this witness is the victim," Edgeworth says nervously.

"Did you two know each other?" the judge asks in surprise, looking curiously between the witness and the prosecutor.

Edgeworth quickly regains his composure and replies calmly, "I'm sure you're aware that the defendant was, at one time, my mentor. Of course I was acquainted with his daughter, as well."

"Alright, then. The court accepts this witness. Ms. von Karma, please testify about the night of the murder."

Franziska's testimony consists of only three short statements.

"I was in the guest room, reading. I didn't notice anyone come in.

He spoke to get my attention and I looked up.

Then he shot me."

Phoenix presses at the second statement.

"You looked up…? So you must have seen the killer. Please state his name for the court."

"I can't," Franziska replies, looking away.

"You… can't?" Phoenix asks, sweating bullets.

"No."

Phoenix moves on to the third statement and presses there.

"You said 'he' shot you. So we know the killer was a man. Can tell us anything else to shed light on the killer's identity?"

Before she can answer, Edgeworth raises an objection.

"The witness has already testified that she cannot identify the killer. If you have no other questions, I'm afraid we'll have to ask her to step down…"

Phoenix looks over the testimony again. He decides to press on the first statement, just to see what kind of information comes up.

"What were you reading?"

"The case file for my next trial," Franziska replies without hesitation.

"The victim was also a prosecutor," Edgeworth explains. "The case file was found out the scene." He presents a bloodstained file folder. "From the parts we could decipher, we were able to determine the case itself has nothing to do with the victim's own murder."

The judge looks over the folder's contents briefly and dismisses it as evidence.

Phoenix goes over the remaining two statements again, and presses at the third.

"How much time passed between the time you looked up and the time he shot you?"

_Finally, an intelligent question_, Edgeworth thinks to himself sarcastically. _Not that it's going to get you anywhere_.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear," Franziska replies, sounding a little irritated. "He had the shot lined up before he caught my attention. The only thing out of position was… me. When I looked up, he pulled the trigger."

"The defense requests that the witness amend her testimony!"

The third statement now reads: "He shot me as soon as I looked up." Phoenix doesn't press there. He backtracks to the second statement and presses there, asking the question he ignored the first time through.

"What did he say to you?"

Franziska hesitates. The courtroom is deadly silent.

"He said 'Merry Christmas, Franziska'."

Everyone in the courtroom turns to look at Edgeworth.

"Right?" the prosecutor asks.

The witness nods once in affirmation.

"How… do you know that…?" Phoenix croaks out. He has a nasty feeling that he already knows the answer.

"Because I'm the one who shot her," Edgeworth replies with a sadistic smile.

"YOU WHAT?!" roars the judge.

"I killed Franziska von Karma."

"Wh-why… Edgeworth, why would you do something like that…?" Phoenix asks. His heart is gripped with panic. He can hardly believe that the person standing across the courtroom is really the same Edgeworth he's faced before…

"Revenge," Edgeworth answers simply. What Phoenix doesn't know is that the DL-6 incident twisted young Edgeworth's heart and for the past fifteen years Edgeworth has lived his life for this moment, the moment when he destroys Manfred von Karma completely.

Manfred finally finds his voice. "You… how can you do this to me? I took you into my home and raised you and this is how you repay me?"

"That's rich coming from you," Edgeworth shouts back, "after _you_ tried to set _me_ up for the Gourd Lake murder. Of course, it was easy for me to figure out your plan. You thought I'd want revenge against Robert Hammond for getting my father's murderer off the hook, but you never realized _I knew Yanni Yogi was innocent_. You see, I was awake when the elevator door opened fifteen years ago… I've known you were the one who killed my father the whole time. And as for you taking me in and raising me, I _could have_ refused to go with you. I'm sure Wright's family would have taken me in, or Larry's. I _could have_ refused to become a prosecutor. But I did go with you. Because where better to form my plans for revenge that in your very own home?"

Manfred was speechless with shock and rage, but someone else in the courtroom wasn't.

"How long…" If not for the utter silence in the courtroom, Edgeworth may not have heard the quiet voice from the witness stand. "How long were you planning this…?"

"To kill you? Since the moment I found out you existed," Edgeworth replied offhandedly. "This particular plan, just a few days… once I was invited to Gourd Lake, and realized I already had a perfect alibi for the night, provided by my dear friend Phoenix Wright."

"The Christmas party…" Phoenix groaned, hanging his head.

"So, when you called and asked me come for Christmas…" She lets the question hang in the air unfinished. Tears are pouring down her face.

The judge comes to senses and orders Edgeworth arrested for Franziska's murder and Manfred arrested on suspicion of being the killer in the DL-6 incident.

Phoenix has the presence of mind to go over to the witness stand and take the distraught young woman into his arms. After being so heartlessly betrayed by someone she trusted, she deserves at least a moment of comfort before she leaves this world once and for all. She slumps against him, and when she opens her eyes Phoenix can see that she is Maya Fey once more.

Maya rubs her eyes as if she is just waking up from a good night's sleep and is surprised to find her face wet with tears.

"Nick, what's going on? Why are they arresting Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. von Karma?"

"I'll… explain later…" Phoenix replies in a strained voice, hugging Maya tightly.

-end-

**Alternate Ending**

She is sitting at the desk, reading, oblivious to the presence of another person in the room.

The gun sits heavily in his pocket. He starts to take it out, then stops. No matter how carefully he may have cultivated this plan, he can't carry it out. Not because it isn't possible. No, this is a perfect opportunity. He is standing right beside her and she hasn't even noticed him. The reason he can't do it is because he knows what will happen to his heart if he fires the bullet that takes her life.

"Merry Christmas, Franziska."

At the sound of his voice, she looks up. He leans down and kisses her firmly on the mouth. A moment later he pulls away. She stares at him, speechless.

"Why don't you forget about work for one night? This is a holiday," he says, with a soft smile. "I was on my way to a Christmas party. You could come with me…" He leaves the invitation hanging.

She's smiling a little, now that she has recovered from the initial shock.

"Why not?"

- at the Christmas party -

"You never told me you were bringing a date," Phoenix says as Edgeworth makes his way toward him with Franziska following close behind.

"It was a last-minute thing," Edgeworth replies. "It's not really a date."

"Of course it's a date," Franziska says with a sly grin, pressing close to his side. Edgeworth returns the grin.

_There is more than one way to take a man's daughter away from him_…


End file.
